Wood Lathe Operator Overview

Required Education and Training To Become a Wood Lathe Operator

Best Schools to become a Wood Lathe Operator in U.S. 2024

Ivy Tech Community College

Indianapolis, IN

In-State Tuition:$4,487
Out-of-State Tuition:$8,777
Admission Rate:N/A
Graduation Rate:31%
Total Enrollment:89,705

Community College of Allegheny County

Pittsburgh, PA

In-State Tuition:$7,320
Out-of-State Tuition:$10,980
Admission Rate:N/A
Graduation Rate:19%
Total Enrollment:10,467

NTMA Training Centers of Southern California

Santa Fe Springs, CA

In-State Tuition:$N/A
Out-of-State Tuition:$N/A
Admission Rate:N/A
Graduation Rate:77%
Total Enrollment:98

Maysville Community and Technical College

Maysville, KY

In-State Tuition:$4,368
Out-of-State Tuition:$15,288
Admission Rate:N/A
Graduation Rate:49%
Total Enrollment:3,974

Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology

Wichita, KS

In-State Tuition:$4,311
Out-of-State Tuition:$5,174
Admission Rate:N/A
Graduation Rate:30%
Total Enrollment:5,021

Jefferson Community and Technical College

Louisville, KY

In-State Tuition:$4,368
Out-of-State Tuition:$15,288
Admission Rate:N/A
Graduation Rate:35%
Total Enrollment:12,053
Wood Lathe Operator Job Description:
  • Set up, operate, or tend woodworking machines, such as drill presses, lathes, shapers, routers, sanders, planers, and wood nailing machines.
  • May operate computer numerically controlled (CNC) equipment.

Required Skills and Competencies To Become a Wood Lathe Operator

Job Duties for Wood Lathe Operators

  • Examine finished workpieces for smoothness, shape, angle, depth-of-cut, or conformity to specifications and verify dimensions, visually and using hands, rules, calipers, templates, or gauges.

  • Set up, program, operate, or tend computerized or manual woodworking machines, such as drill presses, lathes, shapers, routers, sanders, planers, or wood-nailing machines.

  • Start machines, adjust controls, and make trial cuts to ensure that machinery is operating properly.

Technologies and Skills Used by Wood Lathe Operators

Computer aided design CAD software

  • Autodesk AutoCAD
  • Dassault Systemes CATIA

Operating system software

  • Apple macOS
  • Microsoft Windows

Video creation and editing software

  • YouTube

Basic Skills

  • Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
  • Talking to others

Problem Solving

  • Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Current Job Market and Opportunites for a Wood Lathe Operator

Additional Resources To Help You Become a Wood Lathe Operator

FAQs About Becoming a Wood Lathe Operator